Meditations the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Sheweth the worldliness of man's heart by nature; from the next Clause of the 13th. Verse,
The younger Son gathered all together.
HE bundled up his happiness, even his gods with his goods, as Rachel did Laban's. Gen. 31.He said to his Soul, as that rich man did, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, Luke 12.19.take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. This young man carried his gods in his goods; and herein he gives us to take notice,
Doctrine. That it is a disposition in natural men to carry their gods in their goods; their hearts, which should be the seat and temple of God, is the habitation of these.
This young man's Portion was his all, Phil. 3.19. Job 31.24.even his Heaven and his God. St. Paul speaks of some whose belly was their god: And Job of those whose gold was their god, being their hope and their confidence. Many men have their Portion in this life; Psal. 17.14.their Heaven and Earth together.
Every thing is a mans god that feeds his lust, and his heart is set upon, as the Israelites golden Calf was to them; Exod. 32.4.These are thy gods, O Israel— and as Micahs Mothers eleven hundred shekels of silver were turned into Gods. Judges 17.4.And thus all natural men make gods of their lusts, or of their goods, on which they fix their hearts. They carry their gods in their goods, Gen. 31.34.as Rachel hid her Father's Idols in the Stuff. It is natural to man to seek his felicity here. Psal. 17.14.The Scripture calls them men of this world; here are their hearts, and here they would always be, if they might have their choice. They have a greater mind to be here, Luke 9.33.than Peter had to be on Mount Tabor.
Their inward thought is, Psal. 49.11.saith the Psalmist, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
This shews that their hearts are wholly here; their minds are given up to earthly things. Phil. 3.19.So they might be here on earth for ever, they could be content to be out of heaven; Gen. 25.31.as Esau parted with his birthright for a mess of Pottage.
Our blessed Saviour bad his Disciples rejoyce rather that their names were written in heaven, Luke 10.20.than that the Devils were subject to them. But these men would rejoyce rather if their names might be written on Earth. Though the Scripture speaks of it as a Judgment; Jer. 17.13.They that depart from me shall be written in the earth: Yet earthly things lie nearest to a carnal man's heart; as it's said Queen Mary should say on her Death-bed, That if they saw her heart when dead, they should see Calice there. The Israelites appetite or phancy was more after the Leeks, Numb. 11.5, 6.and Onions, and Garlick of Egypt, than after Manna.
Men are apt to set up Idols in their hearts, many places in Ezekiel shew it; Ezek. 14.3. Judges 5.8.the children of Israel chose new gods. The Devil would be the god of this World; this is his name by usurpation, 2 Cor. 4.4. Many mens hearts are devoted to him, and know it not; as it's said of Ephraim, that he had gray hairs and knew it not: yea, he made an essay for Christ's heart and devotion to him. And when he cannot get in himself into the hearts of men, as he wishes, then he gets into one Creature or other to be as god there. When Esau said to Jacob, I have enough; Gen. 33.9.what was his enough? the fulness of his outward condition without God. Carnal men can be content with the World without God; Eph. 2.12.they are without God in the world. The Creature, in some sort, satisfies them without God, as it does the Beast. Psal. 49.20.Man makes himself in this like the Beast. Esau neither saw, nor sought God in Jacob's face, as Jacob did in his, Gen. 33.10. Rom. 1.25. Lam. 3.24.Men naturally affect the Creature more than the Creator. Indeed, if a godly man have not God for his Portion, his all he hath is nothing: The Lord is my portion, saith my soul: Psal. 73.25.and, whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee. The Lord knows indeed that his Saints on earth have need of earthly things, Matth. 6.32.as our blessed Saviour said to his Disciples. And therefore gives them of these more or less, as he sees meet; yet whatever he gives them of the World, he so gives it, that they may see him in it, as Jacob did in Esau's face.
O take heed of thinking you have enough, when you have the most of this world, except you have God with it, and see God in it. Take heed of this young man's spirit; when he had got his Portion, he now feels no want of his Father, but takes his journey into a farr Countrey. Take heed also of thinking that you have not enough of the worlds good things, when you have, or may have God himself with your little; for now your little is as much as All; 2 Cor. 6.10.and you may say with the holy Apostle, As having nothing, yet possessing all things.